2034 Olympics: Weirdwolf vs Broadside
Six Lasers - Thrull Magma Rivers(#5057Rnt) - Space Grab a partner and a lightsaber. Go on. We won't blame you. Criss-crossing the main "continent" of Thrull are numerous rivers of magma, constantly pumping, fed by the volatile planet's molten core. The views here are spectacular, ranging from cliffs overlooking the fiery lakes to entire plains of hardened ash. If one is looking for a far-out, exotic place for a gladiatorial match, then they have found it. Signs of civilization are not out of the question, however. Various species and companies have taken advantage of the "riverfront" property and have set up numerous industrial and recreational facilities. Perhaps you'd like to take a therapeutic dip in one of the lava pools? After all, look what it did for Galvatron! Objects: Bleachers Grandpa Al's Smelting Com Obvious exits: Out leads to Six lasers - Thrull Lava Pits. In a landscape of molten lava rivers sits a specially made arena created to withstand its heat. The Autobot engineer Brainstorm has been called in to take a look and make sure the arena is indeed safe and the contestants will not be burned alive by their mere presence in the area. Brainstorm walks around, scanner in hand, poking and prodding. Finally, he comes back up to the arena overlook where ofificals wait. "It's safe!" The officials make a sigh of relief and continue on with their planned activities. Later, Brainstorm takes another look at his data. "Oh, whoops... I forgot to carry the "r" in my equation..." He waves a hand, "Uh guys? It may not be quite so safe after all..." But the event has already been set up and the Heavyweight Gladiatoral competition is ready to begin. Brainstorm's hand sinks back down. "Oh. Oh well." He notices a small trickle of lava entering the arena... "Oh. That's definitely not safe." The Headmaster shrugs and walks away. "Heh. But it may make this fight interesting, and that's much better anyway." In a grinding series of shuddering snaps and rumbling clanks, Broadside transforms into a behemoth of a mech, towering over the average bot! "Bah, say I. Boring, safe is." The voice comes from atop one of the protrusions of cooled magma that erratically mark the outer limits of the 'arena' where Weirdwolf is perched. "I doubt either of us mind much will!" Considering Weirdwolf is a masochist and his opponent is a Wrecker, that's probably true. With a snort he kicks the peak of the rocky outcrop, knocking it down over one of the molten rivers and striding down it to the patch of cleared terrain. "Besides, what is a fight without some.. *chuckle* .. hazards environmental, hmmm~?" Broadside is sure to give Brainstorm a hearty pat as he passes, shedding barnacles on him. "Thanks fer safety inspectin' this death pit! Wish me luck!" He rolls his shoulder joints and jogs for the center of the arena. "I was promised a challenge!" he bellows, pointing at Weirdwolf. "And I'm paired with this mutt," he laments. "Oh well, let's hop to it! C'mon, you get the first hit!" Brainstorm staggers a bit as the larger Autobot pats him. "oof! Oh, uh... yeeeah, no problem big guy! Good luck!" He gives Broadside a thumbs-up, then steps outside the path of another lava trickle coming into the stadium. "Hmmm." He walks someplace a little safer, picking up one of the barnacles Broadside shed on him and pocketing it into subspace for later. Everything has possibilities, after all. Weirdwolf... well, actually he kind of agrees with Weirdwolf, which is... weird, but he shrugs again and continues to watch. Making sure he's nowhere near the lava, of course. With a juke of his arm Weirdwolf grabs the hilt mag-locked at his waist and pulls it free, segments clicking out of it to form the angular blade. Which starts to glow with reddish haze from the heat as Weirdwolf raises it in front of himself and grips it in both hands. "As wish you do." Obsidian rubble kicks up from the ground as he breaks into a dash at the bulky Triplechanger. Only to dart to the side at the last moment, twisting to make a quick sweeping slash as he passes beside and behind his larger foe. Combat: Weirdwolf sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Weirdwolf strikes Broadside with his Defensive Slash attack! -2 Combat: Drained 2 energon. Broadside gets delt a decent slash to his side for his loud-mouthing, and grunts, whirling around to face the swift Headmaster. "I'm thinkin' yer binary bondin' didn't go too smoothly, s'why ya' talk so funny!" The giant mech lists his fists and makes to bring them down on Weirdwolf's shoulders. "YAAARGH!" Combat: Broadside strikes Weirdwolf with his (Punch) attack! Combat: Broadside (Broadside) used "Punch": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 8 damage. As Broadside turns to punch Weirdwolf twists his body and flips his sword into a reverse grip, holding it back along his arm as he lifts it to block the punch. But sheer size gives Broadside's swing enough oomph to make him stagger back a step even with the defensive move. "Nah, talk like this always did I. Annoy you, does it?" Which is followed by a wicked grin as he darts back in and swings an uppercut with the butt of the sword's hilt. "Good!" Bludgeon has arrived. Combat: Weirdwolf misses Broadside with his Hilt Strike (Punch) attack! Combat: Gained 1 energon. Broadside jerks back in the last second to evade Weirdwolf's hilt strike. "That's not how ya' use a blade, mech! Heh, it takes a lot ta' annoy me. I'll bet it annoys yer little head-pal though. Speakin' a' which..." He steps forth and slings a fist for Weirdwolf's head. Combat: Broadside sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Broadside misses Weirdwolf with his Massive Fists attack! Combat: Broadside (Broadside) used "Massive Fists": A Level 5 MELEE attack. A curious onlooker approaches the olympic matchup area. When Bludgeon arrives, he is flying so he's shed his Pretender guise. He looks about for onlookers, then noting Brainstorm, the samurai gives him a nod of recognition. A few moments later he circles around the duelists towards the referee's positioning. His arms cross as he observes the fight silently. "Many ways to use one's blade is," Weirdwolf retorts, still grinning despite the whiff. "Skill strikes more than sharpness alone, it does." How deep and poetic. Weirdwolf does have a pretty stunning IQ actually, it's just hidden under all that ass-backwards talking and cruelty. Blocking didn't work, so Weirdwolf switchs defensive tactics, and leaps over the hulking fist swinging towards him instead. Snaps the sword back into a proper striking grip and swings down with both hands as he lands, letting the momentum of his drop back to the ground hopefully doing some of the work of slicing. Combat: Weirdwolf strikes Broadside with his Leaping Wolf Strike attack! Combat: Drained 8 energon. Bludgeon drums his fingers for a moment, his eyes obviously more on Weirdwolf than Broadside...He'd already gutted Broadside so he was a known quantity. He says aside to Brainstorm, "An interesting choice for battle. Did you pick it then? Given Broadside's girth, I'd consider him at a disadvantage on general terms." Is he...actually here making small talk? Broadside spares Bludgeon a brief glance before narrowing his visor on Weirdwolf. But Weirdwolf isn't there! No, he has leapt into the air, and Broadside feels the white-hot pain of a thermal blade biting into his shoulder. He grumbles as precious energon spatters the fire-blasted terrain and reaches into the air, where a massive axe materializes in his grip. "C'mere you fraggin' mutt, I'll halve ya!" he yells, swinging his blade horizontally. Combat: Broadside strikes Weirdwolf with his Vibro-Ax attack! Combat: Broadside (Broadside) used "Vibro-Ax": A Level 4 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 18 damage. Combat: Broadside's attack damages your armor. Brainstorm looks over and sees Bludgeon nod to him. He blinks, then waves back. Eh, why not? The Headmaster considers warning the Con about the lava streams beginning to trickle into the stadium, but he's kinda hoping the fight ends before anyone notices them. Since he was the engineering safety inspector and gave this his go-ahead before realizing he miscalculated something. And now the arena's safety net is failing. But lava- c'mon, a fight over a dangerous LAVA flow? That's just COOOOL. Or hot, whatever. Then the pretender starts talking to him. "Oh, this? Uh... yeah. I ...uh, I thought the location had a dramtic flair that lended excitement and...and a little whiff of danger!" He glances at the incoming lava trickle, then back to Bludgeon- who hopes hopes won't notice it. "Because DANGER makes things better, right? RIGHT? Hahahah!" He elbows the Con, laughing a bit nervously. Bludgeon takes it in stride. He starts to respond, but pauses when Brainstorm gives him the 'you know what I'm talking about' nudge. He glances over to Brainy, then finishes his thought, "It depends on what you are seeking for this fight. Danger is adversity, by adding the environment as a danger, you have chosen to force all participants to be wary of outside factors. There is....a testing quality to what you have chosen." He pauses again, his fingers rolling on his hip, his tone more questioning and casual "Was this arena built to decay about them?" *CHRCHNK* The huge axe swing knocks Weirdwolf off his feet as Broadside returns the favor with enough force to fling the headmaster across the arena and into one of the magma rivers. That is definately going to leave a mark in anyone's armor. The molten rock burbles and ripples, then falls still. Then erupts in a small geyser a few moments later as Weirdwolf leaps out of it, now in wolf mode. And still partially on fire from the hot magma, to the point where his flipping in the air to come down towards Broadside bodily does a pretty impressive impersonation of a comet. Weirdwolf drops to the ground, landing on all fours as a robotic beast. Combat: Mecha Wolf strikes Broadside with his Lupine Moonsault attack! Combat: Drained 5 energon. Broadside draws a thumb along his jaw and stalks towards where Weirdwolf had crashed, smirking to himself. Surprised yet again, he nearly falls over when the flaming comet that is Weirdwolf comes in out of nowhere and collides with him. "HOLY SLAG!" The impact sends flaming bits of magma and metal in all directions, maybe over the crowd! Unless Brainstorm as installed a type of shielding. "Nrgh, a'ight wolfman!" He swipes for the mecha wolf's neck, in an attempt to crush it. Combat: Broadside misses Mecha Wolf with his Crushing Grip (Smash) attack! Combat: Broadside (Broadside) used "Smash": A Level 3 MELEE attack. Mecha Wolf rebounds off Broadside and lands on his paws with just enough time for his powerful legs to redirect the energy of the landing and leap deftly away from the huge mitt trying to grab at his neck, still trailing driblets of magma and melted armor behind him. Two control bounds bring him around behind Broadside in an attempt to use his smaller but more nimble form to an advantage, then lashing out at the back of the Wrecker's legs with his tungsted tipped claws. "Prehaps time to take a trip is for you as well!" Combat: Mecha Wolf strikes Broadside with his Attack from the Back (Kick) attack! Combat: Drained 2 energon. Bludgeon humphs as he watches Weirdwolf's magma bath. He seems neither annoyed nor impressed. The Pretender does put his hand to his chin as he watches the fight. Actually, Brainstorm did indeed install a forcefield over the audience section of the arena. Mainly due to Arcana's insistance, of course. The bits of lava and metal ping harmlessly off the forcefield... though unfortunately that just means they land on the parts of the arena Brainstorm didn't shield... and add more fire to the already crumbling support structure. There's the possibility that the combatants can feel the occasional tremble from the stadium now. He glances to Bludgeon and replies, "Uh... yeeeah. Yeah, exactly. I really went for the realistic effect here... REALLY wanted to sell the "DANGER" part, y'know? Add to the EXCITEMENT. Keep them on their toes. Because if there's no EXCITEMENT, then I haven't really delivered the goods, y'know? And I wouldn't want the crowd to leave feeling they didn't have a... a really HOT TIME!" The Headmaster nods to Bludgeon, then starts to look around for the exit's location. .....No particular reason, of course. Broadside, alas, is limited to one mode this time around, and he's certainly not very quick. He buckles and leans on the hilt of his axe when Weirdwolf catches the back of his legs with claws. "Sneaky sunnuvaglitch," he mutters. "Yer a bit trickier n' th' turbofoxes we use ta' trap!" While the mecha wolf is near the ground, Broadside tries to drive the pole of his weapon through a shoulder. Should he miss, he'll end up on his face. Combat: Broadside strikes Mecha Wolf with his IMPALE pls attack! -3 Combat: Broadside (Broadside) used "Vibro-Ax": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 14 damage. Combat: Broadside's attack has damaged your Agility! Combat: Broadside's attack damages your armor. Bludgeon replies after a moment, "You appear to be incompetent." He looks back over to Weirdwolf as he gets stuck, his expression still neutral, a mask of dull surprise as he surveys the two battlers. The pole connects, and thanks to the terrible state Weirdwolf's armor is already in, goes right through the upper portion of his left shoulder. Which, thanks to the somewhat simplistic way he just stands up to transform, is still there even as he stands back up as a robot. "While brutish may you be, Wrecker reputation exaggeration is not." It's a backhanded compliment from the guy that speaks backwards, go figure. Weirdwolf grabs the ax shaft and the arm holding it to pull it out of his shoulder, and then twists to heavy Broadside against on the rocky boundries of the arena, a definate show of just how strong the Headmaster is. Followed up by lunging at Broadside to try and run him through with his sword before he can recover. The mechanical wolf rises up into a bulky robot, Monzo folding up and forming his head. Combat: Weirdwolf strikes Broadside with his I don't have ropes to throw you into so hot stabbings shall have to do attack! Combat: Drained 8 energon. Broadside slackens somewhat. It's suddenly really hot. So thirsty. Why did he have to be such a guzzler. Where was Octane when you actually needed him. Why did this have to be a magma planet!? Broadside can't dwell on these questions for long - Weirdwolf grabs his axe and manages to heave him against the jagged rocks. The sword goes right through his chest and pierces the carrier deck on his back. "Nnngh!" He claws at the blade but otherwise makes no move to retaliate, for the moment. Combat: Broadside takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Weirdwolf wrenchs his sword free of his foe once more and takes a half-step back, watching warily. But no counterattack comes. "Hah, I think the big lug is laggin'," Monzo can be heard retorting from within the warrior's noggin." "Aaah, think wore him out we did." Weirdwolf leans a little to one side, then the other, staying limber despite his battered form. "Too much strength, not enough grace." Sensing a moment of weakness in his foe, Weirdwolf grabs Broadside by the head to pull him free of the rocks. And then tries to slam him down to the ground, face first into one of the magma streams. "As on Earth they say, In Yo' Face!" Bludgeon mutters to himself, 'Finish him...' His tone is low, quiet. He says absently to Brainstorm, "A difficult moment for your Broadside. He's fatigued. Even the most hearty warrior finds moments of exhaustion. While our Weirdwolf has lost most of his armor..." Man he sucks at small talk. Combat: Weirdwolf strikes Broadside with his Hot Face Smash (Punch) attack! Combat: Gained 1 energon. Brainstorm scoffs at Bludgeon's earlier dismissive comment, then waves it off. "Appearances can be decieving my "friend"... and you of all mechs should know that!" He gives Bludgeon a knowing look, then turns to watch the combatants. As Bludgeon comments again about the ongoing fight, he replies, "Yeah... that looks like it hurts. Broadside's got to shift his focus and..." a thought occurs to him. He shouts to Broadside. "Hey- you look like you're really feeling the heat! I've got a solution to cool you off, my mech!" He pulls out a device. It unfolds and displays a giant screen- and it's a slide show of various aquatic photos. Beaches, oceans, lakes, cities built along rivers immmersed in fog. "THINK COOL, BROADSIDE! MIND OVER MATTER!" To be extra helpful, he also presses a button which begins to play ocean sounds. The screen then shifts to shots of winner's trophies, awards, ribbons... and "We are the Champions" begins playing from the same sound device. Bludgeon scowls, he grasps his blade as he turns to Brainstorm. "Stop interfering with the combat!" His eyes squint a bit as he looks at the display screen in disgust. "If *I* am not shouting encouragement to Weirdwolf, then *you* should not as well. Are you not the official empty party?" He humphs again, "Favoritism, how...expected." Broadside lifts his hands to grab Weirdwolf's wrists, but can't pry free fast enough and ends up face first in the stream of lava. "GRAHHH!" he howls, metal smoldering. "Get OFF me you piece a' scrap!" He shoves away and rubs at his face, slinging lava everywhere. Brainstorm catches his attention. He stares at the slideshow. Oh Primus the ocean. All that water. He starts to get queasy. "Hrk, Brainstorm whaddaya' tryin' ta' do! I get seasick!" Mustering the last of his strength, he aims to pound Weirdwolf back into the magma himself with naught but his giant palm. Combat: Broadside strikes Weirdwolf with his SLAMMO attack! Combat: Broadside (Broadside) used "Massive Fists": A Level 5 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 19 damage. Combat: Broadside's attack has damaged your Firepower! Brainstorm glares back at Bludgeon. Finally, he turns back to the combatants. "OK. FINE THEN. IN THE INTERESTS of NON-FAVORITISM, WEIRDWOLF is also directed to LOOK towards the SCREEN." He points helpfully, then crosses his arms and glares, sulking, at the Pretender. "Another One Bites the Dust" starts playing. Weirdwolf only gets a few moments to laugh at his opponent's plight before Broadside heaves himself free and turns the tables, slamming the headmaster to the ground instead. There's a grunt as he grabs the larger mech's arm, but in the rough shape he's already in there isn't much to keep Broadside from putting him in a really painful position, and not really one he can just stab back again. So instead Weirdwolf proves once again that he's just as much nimble as he is stronge, yanking his lower body out from under the larger robot and attempting to wrap his legs around his head and neck struts and pry him off that way, paying no mind to how much the maneuver strains his own systems. Being a masochist does have it's perks when it comes to pain tolerance. Combat: Weirdwolf strikes Broadside with his Leglock Reversal (Smash) attack! Combat: You took 3 damage from that attack. Combat: You have foolishly damaged your own Accuracy! Combat: Drained 5 energon. Bludgeon 's scowl doesn't waver. "Fine then." He glances once to the combatants, considering his choice of actions here. With a contemptuous look back to Brainstorm, his tank turret cannon whirs up to life, firing a modest blast of fulmination at the screen. Strong enough, perhaps, to destroy it, but not enough to distract the fighters too badly. He lowers his cannon arm, hissing and crackling with aftereffects, "You have no respect for either combatant when you do such actions." He recrosses his arms, then looks away from Brainstorm, giving the two brawlers his undivided attention. Broadside's visor widens as crazy crazy Weirdwolf brings him down with his legs. Fragger is flexible. "Agh!" He sprawls there, on his face yet again, grumbling. He's hit his limit in terms of energy, and a decent amount of armor has sloughed off him. "Forfeit! I'm out! Fraggin'... slaggin'..." he curses, pushing himself upright. Bludgeon leans back in surprise at the sudden forfeit. He grunts out a perturbed sound at Broadside, but after a moment he turns his gaze to Brainstorm. "There you have it. A submission." He waits. Most likely Brainstorm will rule properly but the Samurai already saw him hedge the bet once so far. Weirdwolf releases his hold and backrolls away, up onto his feet. Then pitchs a bit as one of his legs partially buckles from the strain, but he catchs himself with his hand against the other knee. A huff vents out his mouth as optics squint slightly at Broadside, as if not entirely sure. The Wreckers aren't exactly the most fair fighting of Autobots by reputation, after all. Broadside glares, "What, y'think I'm lyin'? /Decept/icon? If I had the strength fer it I'd slap that look off yer face." Seems he's telling the truth, as he staggers back to his feet and slooowly heads out of the arena. Bludgeon takes flight up and towards Weirdwolf. He hovers over the Headmaster for a moment, then drops onto the field now that the forcefield is down. He coolly gazes as the weird one then steps forward. That's right, Bludgeon is in the Heavyweight Gladiator lineup too... He comes nose to...well okay he's shorter than Weirdwolf in this mode, but he does come up right close to him. After a moment, he puts his hand on Weirdwolf's wrist, then raises it for him in triumph. The fact that some of Weird's armor comes off into his hands is ignored for the moment. Weirdwolf grunts, picking up his thermal sword from where he dropped it when he was slammed to the ground and stands up fully, deactivating the blade. "A fortunatious turn of events, is not it?" "And yet ya try to say I don't teach ya anything useful," Monzo retorts. "Next time, wait not until legs already damaged are, hmm?" "Pff, like you even bother feeling hurt." And then Bludgeon comes to do the proper arm raising, even as Weirdwolf is still shredding bits of melted armor. To which his optics flicker in amusement. "Do you celebrate because also Decepticon am I... or because prehaps cross blades next you hope?" Bludgeon stifles a chuckle. He isn't supposed to do humor. After a moment, as the crowd cheers, and the imminent evacuation begins before the entire arena collapses, he replies, "Can't it be both?" He lets go of Weirdwolf's wrist, his voice dropping beneath the din of the fanfare, "but mostly...I celebrate because you persevered. It was your spirit that won this bout." In a foreboding turn, he starts to step away then pauses, his head turns aside just enough, anime style, for Weirdwolf to hear him, "Perhaps it is *I* who will test your spirt next." And with that, Bludgeon raises his fist in a salute, then takes off out of the arena. Magma starts pouring in a bit too much to be considered tasteful. In the distance, Blitzwing lounges across a boulder and begins to golfclap in pantomimed enthusiasm. "Woo." "Stronger than physical weapons will can be, yes," Weirdwolf agrees in his way that would give the universe's grammar teachers migranes, returning the brief salute. "Touching moment, really," Monzo interrupts as the ground cracks near Weirdwolf's feet and more magma bubbles up from below. "But this place is about to break up from the fight." "Tch. And rather scenic was it, too." But having survived the fight he doesn't really want to fall into lava -again- so Weirdwolf hits his anti-grabs and boosts out of the arena. He's crazy enough without taking a Galvatron sized magma bath. Brainstorm gahs as his screen is destroyed by Bludgeon, turning black and scorched as it falls in a heap. The Headmaster runs up, trying to save it, but the screen topples on top of him. There's a muffled sound underneath as "Ashes to Ashes" by David Bowie starts to play. Sensing the tremors about him, the Headmaster turns into a jet and bursts forth from the pile of wreckage, into the sky. "Hey, they wanted a hot time, right? At least I DELIVERED!" Blitzwing watches the magma either rise up, or his boulder lower into the liquid heat, all with an expression of mild concern. "Rude." The triplechanger picks up a foot and dips his thruster-foot into the magma, pulling it back out almost immediately with a hiss. "I prefer the saunas on Planet XXX... speaking of!" Blitzwing picks himself up and hovers away from the lake of molten fire, but not before extending an arm at Weirdwolf and pointing his hand at him, digits curled into a fake gun gesture. "Pew pew!" Blitzwing laughs, flying away.